PH commits to protect state workers’ rights -- DFA

THE Philippines has affirmed its commitment to protect the rights of employees in the public service to organize, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

The DFA said this is through the ratification of ILO Convention No. 151, the Convention concerning Protection of the Right to Organize and Procedures for Determining Conditions of Employment in the Public Service.

Ambassador Evan P. Garcia, permanent representative of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, handed over to ILO Director General Guy Ryder the Philippine government’s “Instrument of Ratification of ILO Convention No. 151.”

In turn, DG Ryder gave Garcia a record of deposit and registration of the “Instrument of Ratification.”

DG Ryder praised the Philippines for having ratified 37 ILO conventions and is among the member-states with the most number of instruments ratified, the latest of which are the Maritime Labor Convention 2006, and the Domestic Worker Convention (No. 189) 2011.

“The Philippines is committed to the promotion of sound labor relations between public authorities and public employees’ organizations through the protection of the right to organize, as enshrined in our Constitution, and consistent with our national laws on public sector unionism,”

Garcia remarked.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte ratified Convention 151 on May 26 and it was concurred in by the Senate of the Philippines on August 14.